December Newsletter – The UNLV Tragedy and More

From the Executive Director

Hello and welcome to our December Newsletter:

I wanted to first thank those of you who generously supported our 2023 GivingTuesday
Campaign via social media and our eblasts. Your support is crucial in helping us
carry out our mission of protecting campus communities.

As we reach the end of 2023, we can reflect on the work we engaged in with you and
others to help protect educational spaces around the country. While there were several
important victories, we were saddened to lose the fight with our colleagues in West Virginia, a state where guns will be allowed on campus later next year.

The rising number of gun deaths in this country (over 40,000) presents a clear and present danger for all of us. We are also mindful that on December 14th, it will be 11 years since 20 children and 6 educators were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. We are not giving up the fight and we need you now more than ever.

In this newsletter, you can read about legislation in Iowa that would allow guns in K-12
and college parking lots (The Campaign is part of a coalition fighting this bill). We also
are looking for a few new board members to join us – read more about it below.

Dan Rigney, who leads our fundraising and communications work, traveled to Washington, DC earlier this week to participate in the 9th Annual Gun Violence Prevention Summit hosted by the Center for American Progress. (see more below)

Many of you are aware of the tragic mass shooting that shook the University of Nevada
Las Vegas on Wednesday. After the release of our statement, we learned that the shooter was targeting faculty in different parts of the country. You can read our statement below.

Finally, as I say every month, this work does not happen without you. Our 2023 Year
End Appeal has begun. Please consider supporting The Campaign via this link today.

Thanks for all you do!
Andy Pelosi, Executive Director/Co-Founder

UNLV Shooting – The Campaign Responds

We are saddened to have to comment on yet another mass shooting on a college campus. This tragedy brings into sharp focus that faculty as well as students can fall victim to the scourge of gun violence. We applaud the quick action of campus and Las Vegas law enforcement who likely saved lives.

The Campaign is also pleased that the newly minted White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention stepped in immediately to help coordinate federal assets on the ground to support the affected campus community.

Read The Campaign’s Complete statement here.

Photo: Renjishino, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Updates From The States

Iowa

SF543 would not only prevent Iowa’s public colleges and universities from restricting the carrying of guns on campus, but also prevent insurance companies from pulling their liability coverage from these sites.

In other words, the schools will be forced to put students, faculty and staff into harm’s way and the insurance companies would be forced to provide coverage to these now endangered institutions.

Iowans – Tell the Senate Judiciary Leaders to say No to SF543.

The Campaign Joins Fellow GVP Advocates in Washington, DC

This past week, The Center for American Progress held their 9th Annual Gun Violence Prevention Conference and Dan Rigney from The Campaign was there. The event convened over 150 survivors and advocates to review the year’s efforts, exchange ideas and plan for what’s ahead.

The conference included a special Tuesday evening celebration of Giffords‘ 10th anniversary with Gabby Giffords herself and her husband Sen. Mark Kelly taking the stage. Following the conference’s close on Wednesday, Newtown Action Alliance organized the moving 11th Annual National Vigil for All Survivors of Gun Violence.

It was a whirlwind week of great conversations and intense emotions, with everyone determined to fight the gun lobby harder than ever before.

Federal Employees and Retirees – Support Us Through CFC

The Campaign To Keep Guns Off Campus is proud to once again be an approved charity for this year’s annual Combined Federal Campaign. If you are a federal employee or retiree, our CFC Number is #83173.

Learn more at GiveCFC.org.